The General Optical Council (GOC) has today published its response to NHS England’s Improving eye health and reducing sight loss – a call to action, emphasising its commitment to ensuring that regulation enables developments in the delivery of eye care that are to the benefit of patients and the wider public.
In the response, the GOC recognised that optometrists and dispensing opticians can play an important role, working alongside other healthcare professionals, to deliver enhanced services in the community and helping to relieve pressure on the NHS.
Samantha Peters, GOC chief executive and registrar, said, “I really welcome NHS England’s call to action examining how best to improve eye health and reduce sight loss. With an ageing and growing population, developments in technology and treatments and a challenging outlook for the NHS, it is important for the whole sector to consider how we can meet these challenges. We are already actively addressing this as part of our standards strategic review so that regulation adapts and evolves to ensure continued patient safety and enable optometrists and dispensing opticians to maximise their potential to serve the public.”
The GOC’s standards review consultation period is open until 10 October 2014. All stakeholders are encouraged to contribute to this and discuss how the changing external environment will impact upon the optical professions.